Prevalence of engagement and frequency of non-suicidal self-injury behaviors in adolescence: an investigation of the longitudinal course and the role of temperamental effortful control

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is among the most frequent maladaptive behaviors reported in adolescence, with prevalence rates around 18-22% in community samples worldwide. The onset of NSSI typically occurs between early and middle adolescence, with a peak during middle adolescence (14-15 years) and a subsequent decline during late adolescence. This study investigated the growth curves of NSSI across four years during adolescence, analyzing simultaneously the probability of engagement in NSSI at least once (i.e., prevalence) and the frequency of engagement once initiated (i.e., severity). Furthermore, the study examined the predicting role of effortful control on NSSI over time (time-varying effects), net of other key risk factors for NSSI, such as anxiety-depression and bullying victimization. A sample of 430 Italian adolescents enrolled in Grade 9 at baseline was involved in the study. Based on the Latent Growth Curve Zero-inflated Poisson methodology, the results indicated a negative quadratic trend of both NSSI prevalence, with an increase between T1 and T3 followed by a decrease in the subsequent wave, and NSSI frequency once initiated, with a peak at T2 followed by a decline over time. The results also showed that adolescents who reported low effortful control abilities had a heightened probability of involvement in NSSI at each time point, whereas no significant association was found with NSSI frequency once initiated. Findings from this study offer important insights into the developmental course of NSSI and point out the need for future in-depth investigations of the mechanisms that might underlie NSSI prevalence and severity throughout adolescence.

The Responsiveness of Mental Health Service Professionals to Two Years of Pandemic Emergency in Italy

This multicenter cross-sectional study explored the responsiveness of Mental Health Services (MHS) to two years of COVID-19 emergency in Italy. Specifically, the study explored the ability of staff to: acknowledge users' capabilities and value teamwork; reinvent the service and maintain/introduce good practices; and, acknowledge the positive aspects of the pandemic experience. These aspects were investigated in relation to socio-demographic and professional variables. Professionals from 17 MHS of 15 Italian Regions completed an online questionnaire on the MHS transformation during COVID-19. Data were collected at the end of the national health emergency (March 1-April 30, 2022). Most of the 1077 participants said they: paid more attention to users' physical health; revised treatment plans; mediated between user needs and safe work procedures; revalued the importance of gestures and habits; discovered unexpected personal resources in users; and, found positive aspects in the COVID-19 experience. The multivariate analyses showed significant differences in staff opinions related to gender, workplace, professional role, and geographic area of the MHS, covarying with staff work experience. Compared to male staff, female staff perceived MHS as more flexible and capable to maintain best practices, and female staff acknowledged more capabilities to the users. Compared to central and northern Italy staff, southern Italy staff gave more values to teamwork, perceived MHS as more capable to maintain best practices and acknowledged higher positive transformations. These findings may be useful for planning community-oriented MHS in the post-pandemic period, taking into account both the experience gained by staff and the MHS process of adaptation.

Minority stress and mental health in gay and lesbian youth: A comparative study of Italy and Spain

The present study was carried out based on the minority stress model. The purpose was to compare Italian and Spanish gay and lesbian youth on minority stressors and mental health outcomes and test the minority stress model in Italy and Spain. The sample consisted of 490 participants (307 Italians, Mage = 25.30 and 183 Spanish, Mage = 27.57). They completed an online questionnaire measuring everyday discrimination, coming out to family members, coming out to friends/one's social network, internalized sexual stigma, depression, and anxiety. A multivariate analysis of covariance was performed to explore the effect of nationality on all measures. Structural equation modeling was applied to test the direct and indirect (through internalized sexual stigma) effects of stressors on mental health outcomes. The results demonstrate an impact of nationality on three dimensions: Spanish youth presented higher levels of everyday discrimination, while Italian youth had lower levels of both coming out to family members and coming out to friends/one's social network. Further, in both countries, all stressors had both direct and indirect (through internalized sexual stigma) associations with depression and anxiety. These findings have some social implications: studying the effect of nationality can be useful in suggesting changes in political and social macrosystems. Additionally, studying the associations among these variables is helpful for intervening more efficiently, for example, clinically, on the impact of minority stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Prevalence and Multidimensional Model of Disordered Eating in Youths With Type 1 Diabetes: Results From a Nationwide Population-Based Study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to report nationwide data of the prevalence of disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) in adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and to evaluate a multidimensional model of eating problems, analyzing how psychopathological problems are associated with DEBs and with metabolic control.

METHODS

This study was carried out using a cross-sectional design with a sample of 1,562 patients with T1D (812 male), aged 11-19 years. Participants were recruited from multiple pediatric diabetes centers (N = 30) located in northern, central, and southern Italy, and they individually completed the Diabetes Eating Problem Survey-Revised (DEPS-r) and the Youth Self-Report (YSR). Sociodemographic and clinical data were also gathered. Multiple-group structural equation modeling was used to investigate the relationships between internalizing/externalizing symptoms, DEBs, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values.

RESULTS

A total of 29.7% of the participants reported DEBs (DEPS-r scores ≥20), 42.4% reported insulin manipulation (IM). The prevalence of DEBs was higher for female participants (p ≤ .001). The model explains 37% of the variance in disordered eating, 12% in IM, and 21% in HbA1c values. Body mass index, externalizing symptoms, and internalizing symptoms were significantly and positively associated with DEBs, which in turn were significantly and positively associated with HbA1c values (all p ≤ .001). Externalizing (p ≤ .001) and internalizing (p ≤ .01) symptoms were also directly associated with HbA1c values.

CONCLUSION

Given the relevant prevalence of DEBs, their significant positive association with psychopathological symptoms, and their relationship with worse diabetes outcomes, regular psychological screening and support is needed to ensure the best care of adolescents with T1D.

Prevalence of disordered eating behaviors in adolescents with type 1 diabetes: Results of multicenter Italian nationwide study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prevalence of disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) in a large sample of Italian adolescents with type 1 diabetes and to explore potential demographic, clinical, and psychological differences (understood as emotional and behavioral problems) among adolescents with and without DEBs.

METHOD

Adolescents (11-19 years) with type 1 diabetes completed the Diabetes Eating Problems Survey-revised (DEPS-r) and the Youth Self Report (YSR). Demographic and clinical data were also collected.

RESULTS

Of 690 adolescents with type 1 diabetes (mean age 14.97 ± 1.81, n = 337 girls) assessed in this study, 28.1% (21% boys, 35% girls) were DEPS-r positive (score ≥ 20). Girls had higher DEPS-r total scores (p < .0001, d = .42) than boys, although no age differences were found in mean DEPS-r total scores (p = .961). In both genders, adolescents with DEBs had significantly higher zBMI (p < .0001, d = .52) and HbA1c values (p < .0001, d = .54) and showed more emotional and behavioral problems (both as internalizing and externalizing problems) than those without DEBs (all p < .0001). These differences were largely confirmed in all age groups. Adolescents reporting insulin misuse had higher HbA1c values (p = .001, d = .26), higher DEPS-r mean scores (p < .0001, d = 1.07), and greater psychological problems (all p < .001) than those who did not.

DISCUSSION

DEBs are prevalent among adolescents with type 1 diabetes, and those with eating problems showed adverse clinical and psychological conditions. Routine screening for DEBs and of general psychological condition should be a fundamental part of diabetes care, especially during adolescence.

PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

This nationwide study indicated that DEBs are common in adolescents with T1D, and those suffering from them show poorer clinical conditions and higher emotional and behavioral problems. As such, it offers important contributions for those working with EDs and in the T1D field, as it provides a deeper understanding of the co-occurring DEBs-emotional/behavioral problems in youths with T1D and highlights the importance of continuous monitoring of their psychological condition by a multidisciplinary team.

Individual and Environmental Correlates of Adolescents' Moral Decision-Making in Moral Dilemmas

While extensive research has been conducted on adults' judgments in moral sacrificial dilemmas, there is little research on adolescents. The present study aimed at: (1) adding further empirical evidence about adolescents' moral decisions (deontological vs. utilitarian) in sacrificial moral dilemmas and (2) investigating how these moral decisions relate with gender, school grade, emotional traits (callous-unemotional traits), context-related experiences (perceived parental rejection and community violence exposure), and moral-related factors (moral disengagement and universalism value). A sample of 755 Italian adolescents (54.7% females; Mean age=16.45, SD=1.61) attending the second and the fifth year of secondary school took part in the study. Two sacrificial trolley-type dilemmas (where harmful actions promote the greater good) were presented. In the "switch" scenario (impersonal sacrificial dilemma), the choice is whether to hit a switch to save five people killing only one person. In the "footbridge" scenario (personal sacrificial dilemma), the choice is whether to push a large man off a footbridge saving five persons. For each scenario, participants had to indicate whether the proposed action was "morally acceptable" or not. Data were analyzed performing generalized linear mixed models. Our results showed that: (1) Adolescents were more likely to indicate as admissible to hit the switch rather than to push the large man; (2) male adolescents, compared to females, were more likely to say it was morally acceptable to intervene in the footbridge dilemma, whereas younger adolescents said it was morally acceptable both in the switch and the footbridge situations; and (3) higher levels of callous-unemotional traits, perceived parental rejection, and moral disengagement, on the one hand, and lower levels of universalism, on the other hand, were associated to higher admissibility to intervene in the footbridge scenario. Higher community violence exposure was associated with a lower propensity to intervene in the switch scenario. Overall, the present study expands the research on sacrificial dilemmas involving a sample of adolescents. The findings support previous studies concerning the role of emotions in making moral decisions but, at the same, open new perspectives regarding the role of contextual experiences and moral-related factors.

Views of Catholic Priests Regarding Causes, Treatments and Psychosocial Consequences of Schizophrenia and Depression: A Comparative Study in Italy

This study explored views of Catholic priests about schizophrenia and depression in Italy. Participants completed a questionnaire on their views about either schizophrenia (N = 282) or depression (N = 277). The depression group was surer than the schizophrenia group that: the disorder was due to psychosocial causes; curable; non-requiring long-term pharmacotherapy; the persons with depression could participate in religious activities. The older priests were more convinced than the younger priests that: the prayer and long-term pharmacotherapy are useful; the persons with mental disorders had affective difficulties, are recognizable and kept at distance. Priests should receive education on stigma in mental disorders, particularly schizophrenia.

Bullying Victimization: Investigating the Unique Contribution of Homophobic Bias on Adolescent Non-suicidal Self-injury and the Buffering Role of School Support

Research on bullying victimization has expanded to specific forms of harassment based on discriminatory bias, which involve aggressive behavior targeting an individual's identity characteristics, such as sexual orientation and/or gender expression. Recent studies have documented elevated health risks associated with victimization based on homophobic bias, above and beyond general victimization. The aim of the current study was to test the unique contribution of homophobic victimization on adolescent non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and to analyze the buffering role of teachers and classmates support. Participants were 770 adolescents (55.5% females; Mage = 15.35, SD = 1.62) enrolled in Italian public schools in grade nine (N = 483) and 12 (N = 287). All measures were collected during Spring 2016 using self-reported questionnaires. Zero-inflated Poisson regression analyses suggested that homophobic victimization had a unique contribution on NSSI frequency of engagement once initiated, but not on the probability of engaging in NSSI at least once. High classmates support was negatively associated with adolescents’ engagement in NSSI. Furthermore, higher levels of classmates support were associated with a lower NSSI frequency only for youth who reported low levels of homophobic victimization. In contrast, the association between classmates support and NSSI frequency was nonsignificant when youth reported high levels of homophobic victimization. No significant effects were found for teachers support. Overall, our findings underscore the need to address the serious concern of homophobic victimization within schools and the importance of promoting healthy and positive identity development in adolescence.

Improving employees' views about persons with mental disorders as potential workmates: A 2-year partially controlled study

For many persons with mental disorders (MDs), having a job is a main life goal and a recovery sign. The possibility for these persons to enter the job market is limited by stigma. This study explored whether the participation of people with MDs in a job-training course would positively influence employees' opinions about workmates with these disorders. The job-training course was run by company trainers in a megastore 3 times over a 2-year period for a total of 18 participants with MDs. In the training store, employees' views regarding persons with MDs were assessed at pre- and postintervention with the use of matched questionnaires. At postintervention, views among the training store's employees were also compared with those of employees from other stores (controls). Compared with paired preintervention assessment, at postintervention, the training store's employees were more optimistic about recovery; more skeptical about unpredictability, dangerousness, and social distance from persons with MDs; more skeptical about difficulties of these persons in that workplace; more willing to have workmates with MDs; and more confident in the acceptance of workers with MDs by colleagues. Compared with controls, at postintervention, the training store's employees had higher levels of acceptance and lower perception of dangerousness and unpredictability, were more confident in the capacities of persons with MDs to acquire organizational skills and in their acceptance by colleagues, and were surer that having coworkers with MDs would improve the company public image. Providing job-training courses to persons with MDs could be helpful to reduce stigma against such persons in ordinary work contexts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Effortful Control and Community Violence Exposure as Predictors of Developmental Trajectories of Self-serving Cognitive Distortions in Adolescence: A Growth Mixture Modeling Approach

Self-serving cognitive distortions are biased or rationalizing beliefs and thoughts that originate from the individual persistence into immature moral judgment stages during adolescence and adulthood, increasing the individual’s engagement in antisocial or immoral conducts. To date, the literature examining trajectories of cognitive distortions over time and their precursors is limited. This study sought to fill this gap, by examining effortful control and community violence exposure as individual and environmental precursors to developmental trajectories of cognitive distortions in adolescence. The sample consisted of 803 Italian high school students (349 males; M_age = 14.19, SD = 0.57). Three trajectories of cognitive distortions were identified: (1) moderately high and stable cognitive distortions (N = 311), (2) moderate and decreasing cognitive distortions (N = 363), and (3) low and decreasing cognitive distortions (N = 129). Both low effortful control and high exposure to community violence were significant predictors for moderately high and stable trajectory of cognitive distortions. These results point to the importance of considering moral development as a process involving multiple levels of individual ecology, highlighting the need to further explore how dispositional and environmental factors might undermine developmental processes of morality.

Pathways Linking Exposure to Community Violence, Self-serving Cognitive Distortions and School Bullying Perpetration: A Three-Wave Study

School bullying is a social phenomenon stemming from a complex interrelationship between the individuals and their environments. Underpinned by the social-ecological models, this study investigated the mediation of self-serving cognitive distortions (CDs) in the relationship between community violence exposure, as a victim and as a witness, and bullying perpetration. Bidirectional associations between violence exposure and bullying perpetration, and between CDs and bullying perpetration over time were also hypothesized. The study used a three-waves cross-lagged panel modeling in a sample of 829 Italian high school adolescents (46% males; Mage [Time 1; T1] = 12.71; Standard deviation [SD] = 1.68). The results showed that being exposed to community violence as a witness at T1 increased the development of CDs at Time 2 (T2), which in turn promoted the bullying perpetration at Time 3 (T3). Being exposed to community violence as a victim was not a significant predictor of CDs and bullying perpetration over time. Bidirectional associations were found between witnessing violence and bullying perpetration, and between CDs and bullying perpetration. The association between community violence exposure and individual moral cognitions over time plays a crucial role in predicting bullying perpetration. These findings highlight the need to consider both contextual and individual factors in understanding and preventing bullying perpetration.

Adolescent non-suicidal self-injury and its relationships with school bullying and peer rejection

The central goal of this study was to examine the associations of school bullying and peer rejection with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), as well as their interactive role in a sample of non-clinical adolescents. Six hundred and forty adolescents (253 Males, M_age = 15.60, SD = 1.65) self-reported measures of school bullying and NSSI and provided sociometric ratings of peer rejection. The results showed that being involved in bullying (as bullies, victims, or bully-victims) increases the likelihood to engage in NSSI; being rejected by peers amplifies the probability, for victims and bully-victims, of using NSSI at least once. The findings support the hypothesis that peer relationships play a key-role in determining NSSI and the importance to implement programs aimed to improve the school climate in order to avoid maladjusted behaviors in adolescence.

Effortful control, exposure to community violence, and aggressive behavior: Exploring cross-lagged relations in adolescence

Self-regulation processes and violent contexts play an important role in predicting adolescents' aggressive behavior; less clear is how all three constructs are linked to each other over time. The present study examined the longitudinal relations among adolescents' self-reported effortful control (EC), exposure to community violence, both as a witness and as a victim, and aggressive behavior. Participants were 768 Italian adolescents (358 males) living in a high-risk context, with a mean age at T1 of 11 years in the younger cohort and 14 years in the older cohort. In a four-wave cross-lagged panel design, low EC was a strong predictor of aggressive behavior across each time point, whereas aggressive behavior was found to positively predict adolescents' violence exposure both as witnesses and victims. Some evidence of transactional relations was also found between adjustment problems and exposure to community violence and between EC and externalizing problems. Moreover, EC was indirectly related to exposure to violence through externalizing problems, and mediated the relation of witnessing community violence to aggression, thus supporting the view that top-down regulatory processes play a complex role in the development of violence and other externalizing problems. The importance of considering interventions that take in account these complex relations is discussed.

The Interplay among BMI z-Score, Peer Victmization, and Self-Concept in Outpatient Children and Adolescents with Overweight or Obesity

BACKGROUND

Research has provided evidence that obesity is associated with peer victimization and low levels of self-concept. No study has examined the relationship between BMI z-score, self-concept in multiple domains, and peer victimization.

METHODS

The aim of the research was to investigate the interplay between BMI z-score, self-concept in multiple domains (physical, athletic, social), and peer victimization, testing direct, mediated, and moderated associations. Eighty hundred fifteen outpatient children and adolescents were consecutively recruited in 14 hospitals distributed over the Italian country. The sample consisted of 419 males and 396 females; mean age 10.91 ± 1.97 years (range 6-14 years) and mean BMI z-score 1.85 ± 0.74 (range -0.97 ± 3.27). Peer victimization and self-concept were assessed with a revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire and with the Self-Perception Profile for Children. A structural equation model approach was used to determine the associations among variables, testing two competing models.

RESULTS

In both models, path analysis revealed that BMI z-score was directly associated with peer victimization and self-concept in multiple domains. In the first model, peer victimization mediated the relationship between BMI-score and self-concept, whereas in the alternative model, self-concept mediated the relationship between BMI z-score and peer victimization. Interaction analyses revealed that social competence moderated the relationship between BMI z-score and peer victimization and that peer victimization moderated the relationship between BMI z-score and physical appearance.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher levels of BMI z-score are a risk factor for peer victimization and poor self-concept. When high levels of BMI z-score are associated with a negative self-concept, the risk of victimization increases. Preventive and supportive interventions are needed to avoid negative consequences on quality of life in children and adolescents with obesity.

Effects of the diagnostic label 'schizophrenia', actively used or passively accepted, on general practitioners' views of this disorder

BACKGROUND

General practitioners (GPs) play a key role in the care of somatic and psychiatric problems in people diagnosed with schizophrenia (PWS). It is probable that, like other health professionals, GPs are not all free of prejudices toward PWS. In clinical practice, GPs sometimes interact with clients diagnosed with schizophrenia by specialists, passively accepting this diagnosis. Other times, GPs interact with clients having symptoms of schizophrenia but who have not been diagnosed. In this case, GPs are expected to actively make a diagnosis. Giving the key role of GPs in the process of care, it is worthwhile examining whether passive acceptance and active usage of the diagnosis schizophrenia have differential effects on GPs' attitudes toward people with this disorder.

AIMS

To investigate GPs' views of schizophrenia and whether they were influenced by a 'schizophrenia' label, passively accepted or actively used.

METHODS

A total of 430 randomly selected GPs were invited to complete a questionnaire about their views of schizophrenia, either after reading a description of this disorder and making a diagnosis, or without being provided with a description but passively accepting the label 'schizophrenia' given in the questionnaire.

RESULTS

The GPs who passively accepted the label schizophrenia ( n = 195) and those who actively identified schizophrenia from the description ( n = 127) had similar views. Compared to the GPs who did not identify schizophrenia in the description ( n = 65), those who used the diagnosis, actively or passively: more frequently reported heredity and less frequently psychosocial factors as causes of the disorder; were more skeptical about recovery; were more convinced of the need for long-term pharmacotherapies; believed more strongly that PWS should be discriminated against when in medical hospital; and perceived PWS as more dangerous and as kept at greater social distance.

CONCLUSION

The diagnosis 'schizophrenia', however used, is associated with pessimistic views. Stigma education should be provided to GPs.

General practitioners' beliefs about people with schizophrenia and whether they should be subject to discriminatory treatment when in medical hospital: The mediating role of dangerousness perception

This study explored the relationships between General Practitioners' (GPs) beliefs about People With Schizophrenia (PWS) and GPs' recommendations regarding restrictions for such people when in medical (nonpsychiatric) hospital, and whether these relationships were mediated by dangerousness perception. There were 322 randomly selected Italian GPs who completed a questionnaire measuring beliefs about PWS. Structural Equation Model (SEM) was used to explore the effects of these beliefs on the GPs' views about the need for restrictive rules in hospital. Thirty-1 percent of GPs firmly believed that, in medical wards, PWS should be supervised and 18% that they should be separated from other patients. SEM revealed that belief in such differential treatment was positively related to a belief that PWS need medication for the rest of their lives, and to perceptions of others' need for social distance, and of dangerousness. Dangerousness was, in turn, positively related to the belief that PWS need medication for their lives, and to a perception of the need for social distance, but negatively related to perceived capacity to report health problems. Analyses of indirect effects showed that the relationships of belief in discriminatory treatment with belief in medication for life and with perceived social distance were mediated by perceived dangerousness. GPs' attitudes about PWS appear closely with their beliefs on discriminatory behaviors in hospital, and the mediating role of dangerousness perceptions. Providing GPs with education about schizophrenia treatments and prognosis, and countering stereotypes about dangerousness, could be helpful to reduce GPs' beliefs in the need for discriminatory treatment of PWS. (PsycINFO Database Record

Multiple Forms and Settings of Exposure to Violence and Values: Unique and Interactive Relationships With Antisocial Behavior in Adolescence

The general purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between multiple forms and settings of exposure to violence (ETV) as well as personal values and antisocial behavior (ASB) in adolescence. The association of ETV as witness or victim in different contexts (family, school, or neighborhood) and the association of the selected values of power, universalism, and conformity with ASB were analyzed. In addition, the role of ETV in moderating the relationship between values and ASB was tested. A total of 369 adolescents participated in the study. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed. Results revealed that ASB was independently affected by exposure to family violence as a victim, exposure to school violence as a witness, exposure to neighborhood violence as a witness, and by all three selected values. The associations of ASB with universalism and conformity were negative. Conversely, the association of ASB with power was positive. One interaction had statistically significant effects. Results revealed that exposure to school violence as a witness moderates the relationship between universalism and ASB. The results highlight a high percentage of explained variance by ETV and values on ASB and suggest the importance of adopting a socio-ecological framework in interpreting adolescent behavior.

Measuring adolescents' perceptions of parenting style during childhood: psychometric properties of the parenting styles and dimensions questionnaire

The paper analyzes the psychometric properties of the G1 version of the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire, a self-report instrument designed to investigate how adolescents or adults were parented during childhood. The sample included 1451 Italian adolescents in high school. Three studies tested the scale's structure, invariance, and convergent validity. The first found slightly acceptable fit indexes for a 40-item scale measuring three factors (authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive styles); the factors presented good reliability (ρc .62-.96). Multigroup confirmative analyses found factor loadings invariant in the father version, whereas 12 items resulted not invariant in the mother version (second study). Good convergent validity was found with the Parental Bonding Index and the Parental Monitoring Scale (third study). Discussion of results is provided within the parenting styles literature.

Effects of parental monitoring and exposure to community violence on antisocial behavior and anxiety/depression among adolescents

The aim of the research was to investigate the influence of gender, exposure to community violence, and parental monitoring upon antisocial behavior and anxiety/depression in adolescence. Involved in the study were 489 adolescents (290 males and 189 females) from 4 secondary schools in the city of Naples, Italy. The age of participants ranged from 16 to 19 (mean age = 17.53, standard deviation = 1.24). All were in the 3rd (11th grade) or 5th year (13th grade) of high school. Self-reported measures were used to assess antisocial behavior, symptoms of anxiety/depression, parental monitoring and exposure to community violence as a victim or as a witness. First of all we tested, through a hierarchical multiple regression, the independent contribution of gender, exposure to community violence and parental monitoring upon antisocial behavior and symptoms of anxiety/depression; then we tested the moderating role of gender and parental monitoring on the negative effects of exposure to violence. The results show that male gender, high level of exposure to community violence (both as a victim and a witness), and low level of parental monitoring predict a higher involvement in antisocial behavior. Female gender, being a victim and low level of parental monitoring predict symptoms of anxiety/depression. Furthermore, parental monitoring and gender play a moderating role, minimizing or amplifying the negative effects of exposure to community violence. The results of the research suggest that a similar pattern of risk and protective factors can give rise to multiple paths of adaptive or maladaptive development.

Effects of parental monitoring and exposure to community violence on antisocial behavior and anxiety/depression among adolescents

The aim of the research was to investigate the influence of gender, exposure to community violence, and parental monitoring upon antisocial behavior and anxiety/depression in adolescence. Involved in the study were 489 adolescents (290 males and 189 females) from 4 secondary schools in the city of Naples, Italy. The age of participants ranged from 16 to 19 (mean age = 17.53, standard deviation = 1.24). All were in the 3rd (11th grade) or 5th year (13th grade) of high school. Self-reported measures were used to assess antisocial behavior, symptoms of anxiety/depression, parental monitoring and exposure to community violence as a victim or as a witness. First of all we tested, through a hierarchical multiple regression, the independent contribution of gender, exposure to community violence and parental monitoring upon antisocial behavior and symptoms of anxiety/depression; then we tested the moderating role of gender and parental monitoring on the negative effects of exposure to violence. The results show that male gender, high level of exposure to community violence (both as a victim and a witness), and low level of parental monitoring predict a higher involvement in antisocial behavior. Female gender, being a victim and low level of parental monitoring predict symptoms of anxiety/depression. Furthermore, parental monitoring and gender play a moderating role, minimizing or amplifying the negative effects of exposure to community violence. The results of the research suggest that a similar pattern of risk and protective factors can give rise to multiple paths of adaptive or maladaptive development.

Temperament, ADHD and peer relations among schoolchildren: the mediating role of school bullying

The goal of the study is to investigate the link between temperament, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, social preference, bullying and victimization. The study sample consisted of 195 children attending the fourth and fifth grade (age 8-10), their mothers and their teachers. A multiinformant approach was used: mothers were interviewed about the temperament of their children; teachers were asked about ADHD symptoms; children responded to a peer nominations inventory designed to investigate their roles as bullies and/or victims and their social preferences (liked and disliked peers). A Structural Equation Model multigroup analysis (males and females) was used to test the relationships among variables hypothesized by the authors. The analysis showed that temperamental variables have a direct relation to ADHD symptoms, that ADHD has a direct relation to bullying behavior in males and to victimization in females and that bullies and victims are less well accepted than peers who belong to neither category. ADHD has only an indirect relation to social preference through the mediating role of school bullying.